Perspex Distribution has a variety of LED products available
Lighting the way
There has been no escaping the explosion in popularity of LED signage in recent years, with these types of signs seemingly appearing on almost every street you walk down or on the side of every road on which you are driving.
Whether it is a brand promoting one of its new products, a broadcaster showcasing the latest must-watch series or, in more recent years, healthcare providers and government detailing important health information, these types of signs have a key role to play.
With this in mind, SignLink speaks with suppliers, manufacturers and companies involved in this sector to find out more about the latest trends in LED signage and the technologies that are helping to drive growth In this sector.
Saving energy
First up, Very Displays services both the display and printing industries, offering a range of products and services including LED solution. Kirsty Corcoran, marketing manager at Very, explains that the company has its finger on the pulse in the LED signage market and has picked up on a number of key trends in recent years.
“All our LED solutions are currently mains powered but we know there is definitely a demand and a growing trend for battery powered solutions within the industry, for a more versatile LED solution,” Corcoran explains, adding: “Our in-house product development team are monitoring the tech and prices and we will introduce the right solution once its available.
“As a business last year, we made a conscious decision to move away from halogen lights and focus more on the energy saving and environmentally friendly benefits of LED lighting. It is important to ensure you are using the right wattage and product for the right uses, which is why we offer multiple options: a 10W, 12W and newly added a 24W light to suit pop ups both fabric and magnetic, and tube displays as well.
“We wanted to ensure we give customers a wider variety of energy saving lighting options that give a nice daylight effect, that also suits exhibition regulations.”
We wanted to ensure we give customers a wider variety of energy saving lighting options that give a nice daylight effect, that also suits exhibition regulations”
Focusing on what Very Displays has to offer in terms of products, Corcoran explains that the core success for the business has been its freestanding LED lightboxes. Corcoran says they are simple to assemble without the need for any tools, meaning they are excellent for multiple use exhibitions or retail displays.
Very Displays says its freestanding LED lightboxes have been its main success in the LED sector
“Once the hardware is assembled the graphics can be changed time after time so it’s yet another reusable display solution from Very Displays,” Corcoran says, adding: “We have single- or double-sided LED lightboxes which are suitable for environments such as window spaces that only require front visibility or open spaces where there’s a need to display on both sides.
“Our lightboxes display backlit textile graphics that really pop once illuminated and help the user get their message across and help then to stand out from the crowd.”
Environmentally conscious
Next, Applelec is a UK trade supplier of bespoke sign, display and LED lighting products, including LED light panels. Rachel Gould, PR and marketing manager for the signage division at Applelec, says environmental factors are playing a major role in the shaping of the LED market.
“Although environmental awareness has been making its way to the forefront of people’s minds for some time, the recent rise in energy costs has escalated the need for highly energy efficient and environmentally conscious products,” Gould says, adding: “This will not only be a key focus for many but will indelibly impact the signage industry.
“We are seeing designers and signage companies alike, now pushing trade manufacturers to incorporate sustainability, keeping energy costs down, all whilst still achieving the same quality craftsmanship and look of products, posing some unique challenges for the signage industry.”
Gould goes on to say that Applelec has been working to meet these challenges head on by developing environmental initiatives, working with key partners such as SloanLED to offer sign companies new LED solutions, as well as develop an eco-friendly range of products.
O Factoid: The new SloanLED BrightLINE 2 which Applelec supplies, offers 50% more efficiency than the standard Brightline 1 O
This includes its illuminated ECO built up letters that utilise recycled and recyclable components, energy efficient SloanLEDs and are designed for disassembly at end of life for ease of recycling.
Gould highlights Green Applelec LED Light Sheet as the industry’s first environmentally friendly light panel, made from recycled and recyclable acrylic, which delivers bright, even illumination at slimline depths from 3mm to 20mm.
Applelec says its Green Applelec LED Light Sheet is the industry’s first environmentally friendly light panel, made from recycled and recyclable acrylic
“Available in a variety of warm and cool colour temperatures, this backlighting solution not only meets the demand for environmentally friendly solutions but with increasing popularity of warmer colour temperatures, it gives sign makers the design and premium quality look they have come to expect but in a more sustainable way,” Gould says.
Delving further into the options available from SloanLED, Gould picks out a number of new products suitable for use in signage. These include SloanLED Prism12 Nano +, a 12 VDC LED with efficiency of up to 160 lumens per watts in a range of colours and temperatures, as well as a 250 modules per 60w power supply.
The SloanLED Spectrum RGBW module is billed as Ideal for channel letters between 102mm and 200mm deep and has a 10-year labour assisted warranty, while SloanLED BrightLINE 2 offers 50% more efficiency than the standard Brightline 1.
SloanLED Prism12 Nano + offers efficiency of up to 160 lumens per watts in a range of colours and temperatures
In addition, SloanLED BrightLINE Outdoor is coated in an outdoor silicone, making it suitable for use in external applications such as single-sided, illuminated sign trays, fascias and light boxes with depths of 30mm to 200m.
Pass the test
Elsewhere, Specialized Signs offers a wide range of sign-making services, including a section of products powered by LED technology. Managing director Graham Sim says there are a number of key features to look out for when it comes to LED.
“I would say the most important feature is still with the LED driver; this is where most noticeable failures occur and this failure rate increases drastically with lower spec drivers,” Sim says, adding: “I strongly advise buying drivers from the big, well-known brands and always go for five-year-plus warranty, complete with fully insulated cables.
“As for the LED modules themselves, there are a lot of good modules on the market these days but finding the best module for you is a slow process and something that should change every year or two with the continuous, rapid development of LEDs.”
Specialized Signs cites its work with LED technology on the Exchange Tower Edinburgh in Scotland as its most bespoke project to date
Sim goes on to say that while LED lighting offers high levels of brightness, as well as a more environmentally friendly solution than other options, all LEDs go duller over time. With good quality LEDs, this should not be noticeable to the naked eye over a six-month period, but with poor-quality modules ,you can see a substantial drop in brightness over six months.
“We run various tests as soon as we receive new modules to compare them against our current module and on average we get sent new LEDs to test once a month,” Sim said, adding: “We assess the brightness and cost to see if this option would be a better choice than our current module and if there is a chance it could be better we will then run further tests over a six-month period to watch for failures and also to monitor the reduction in brightness.”
Looking at the wider market, Sim says Specialized Signs has experienced an increase in both interest and demand for its neon flex products. The company has responded to this, with Sim saying the business spent a substantial amount of time purchasing samples from all over the world so that wite could stringently test them over a 12-month period.
“It is pretty unbelievable the difference in quality from some of the big suppliers in the UK, the brightness and colour vibrancy can change significantly from some of the very well-known suppliers,” Sim explains.
“Once we noticed this, we then looked further afield so that we could run tests on a larger range and I am very confident that we have the very best colour range on the market that gives a supper bright, long lasting neon glow.”
Contemporary work
Meanwhile and Perspex Distribution has a number of products available within its LED Neon range. Ryan Mann, LED product manager at Perspex Distribution, says since introducing this range, it has been an area of huge growth and interest to customers.
“LED Neon is a flexible LED system that provides the styling of traditional neon in a product that is simple to cut, shape and install,” Mann comments, adding: “The product enables sign-makers and designers to produce contemporary, eye-catching slogans, branding or interior design with a perfectly homogenous light output.
“Thanks to its slim profile and silicone housing, our LED Neon10 can be manipulated to create complex designs, even within small spaces. The 8mm wide option offers cutting increments at only 10mm apart for maximum precision and the 4mm wide option is one of the most flexible solutions available on the market.”
Looking at new developments, Mann highlights COB LED strip. Standing for Chip On Board, this strip moves away from the dot effect often found with standard LED strip and provides a more continuous source of light.
Mann goes on to say that it is critical for sign-makers to stay abreast of the latest options in this market if they are to offer customers the very best in LED technology.
“Whilst sign-makers will always be astute about their product choice with reliability, performance and cost effectiveness being at the top of any list when choosing the right LED product, one often overlooked feature sign-makers should be looking out is the service level from suppliers,” Mann says.
“Product knowledge, experience and after sales support help give sign-makers the edge over their competitors as they will ensure they are using the right amount of the right product to meet their customer needs.”
Mann’s comments offer a suitable conclusion to this discussion. Many sign-makers are well aware of the advantages these types of products offer, but to truly benefit from these and offer customers the very best solution, they should first fully investigate a solution before taking the decision to use the technology in a project.
Your text here...
